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Itinerary for Jul 5 — Jul 11, 2014

Description: This five star hotel is in the city center, close to many of Shanghai's highlights and within walking distance of one of Shanghai’s most popular parks where locals gather for traditional exercises and exchange of local news.

Description: This five star hotel is in the city center, close to many of Shanghai's highlights and within walking distance of one of Shanghai’s most popular parks where locals gather for traditional exercises and exchange of local news.

Morning: Visit the Shanghai Fine Arts Museum, housing the country's finest collection of paintings, bronzes, and sculpture. Explore the nearby Xin Tian Di district - a restoration project that has set a benchmark for Asia. Wander at leisure through this new and fashionable area with its many cafes and international cuisine restaurants.

Lunch: Your choice to choose local fare in Xin Tian Di.

Afternoon: Discover the many faces of Shanghai with a walk on the Bund, past iconic art deco and neo-classic buildings stemming from Shanghai's history as a foreign 'concession'.

Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant.

Evening: Be amazed at the skills of the famous Shanghai Acrobatics Troupe. Acrobatics remain a very important aspect of Chinese performing arts and are a component of other genres such as Chinese opera.

Breakfast: Before breakfast, tai chi instruction will be provided for those interested. Breakfast is in the hotel.

Morning: This morning experience one of the most astounding archeological discoveries of the 20th century -- the huge tomb site of the Qin Emperor, containing an army of life size terra cotta infantrymen, cavalry, horses, and graceful archers.

Lunch: Lunch at a local restaurant.

Afternoon: At Xian Music Institute enjoy an introduction to traditional Chinese music and its instruments, followed by a private performance.

Dinner: Dinner is at a restaurant in Xian’s colorful Hui Muslim section.

Morning: At Xian International Studies University, a presentation illuminates the Chinese ‘character’ and world view through an understanding of Daoism, Buddhism and Confucianism. Afterward chat informally with English-speaking students as they show you their campus.

Lunch: Lunch at the University Guests’ Dining Room.

Afternoon: Explore Shaanxi History Museum whose unparalleled collection sheds light on the development of dynastic China.

Dinner: This evening, savor a Xian specialty: a dinner composed of exquisite dumplings in fanciful shapes and containing various fillings from wild greens to flavorful meats.

Evening: Join your Program Leader for an informal discussion of education in China.

Afternoon: Explore the Summer Palace, retreat of the Qing Emperors and a masterpiece of Chinese landscape architecture and design. Enter the palace chambers. On the exquisite Kunming Lake see elegant arched bridges, island pavilions, and water lily gardens.
Return to your hotel and this evening, join your Main Program where you meet the rest of your group at a Peking Duck Welcome Dinner. (See Program 19580 for further details.)

Important information about your itinerary: Please know that while we do everything we can to finalize all aspects of our programs well in advance, there are logistics that occasionally must be altered. Our website will reflect the most recent information, and we are committed to providing you with final program details no later than eight weeks prior to the start of programs outside the U.S. and three weeks prior to the start of programs within the U.S. If you ever have questions about your program, please don't hesitate to contact us and we will be happy to assist you.

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The latest in light, portable, easy-to-use QUIETVOX listening devices are available on Road Scholar programs.* Whether you are outdoors, in a crowd or in a museum environment where speaking loudly is discouraged, a listening device makes it feel like our experts are speaking clearly and directly to you. Hear for yourself on a Road Scholar adventure!

*Please note that due to the nature of some programs, the remote location or government regulations, listening devices may not be available. If you’d like to know for sure if your program will offer listening devices, just call and ask an Advisor!